Alkylating agents, metabolic antagonists, antibiotics, plant alkaloids, etc. are currently used in chemotherapy for patients with cancer.
2,3-(Methylenedioxy)-5-methyl-7-hydroxy-8-methoxy-benzo[c]phenanthridinium chloride or iodide reported in Chem. Pharm. Bull., 33, 1763 is known to exhibit an antitumor activity (Japanese Patent KOKAI Nos. 2-243628 and 3-184916). Benzo[c]phenanthridinium derivertive and its antitumor activity are also reported in Japanese Patent KOKAI No. 5-208959.
Malignant tumor has a diversity of characteristics. Moreover, use of these antitumor agents causes resistance thereto. It is thus desired to develop a new antitumor agent.